Wild West Outlaw
by blingblingbabe
Summary: She swayed slightly where she sat and the slumped forward against Gene. "Melfina? Melfina!" Gene shouted as he shook her.
1. chapter 1

I am in a shlump (cool word!) what with starting high school. I am, thankfully, not totally smothered in homework but I am still pretty busy (because I'm starting my own manga! For I can draw very well... I wish I could write as well... ) So this new fic will probably be updated slowly at first. But I will promise to try to pick it up after I get into the 'swing o school'.  
  
Now, I've wanted to do an old west Outlaw Star fic for a long time now, but I wasn't sure what to do with the plot. But I came up with some good ideas...and now I'm giving it a try. I researched my little bum off *points to lack of bum* on this era. I've looked up clothes, what they ate, how they traveled and who did what, when and where and why and how they did it. :)  
  
Now, I must admit, while rereading over my old stories that my grammar is pretty bad (and this is coming from me! the most ungrammar freak in the world.) so I will try to clean it up, but you need to understand, when I write, I write very quickly; basically nonstop. It's a bad habit but that's who I am.  
  
Rating: now right now this thing isn't to dark. But this is the wild west and some people were none to nice. This will have bad language, violence and sexual situations. So be warned!  
  
Disclaimer: Mandy! What are you doing? You put Gene back right now! No...don't you try to keep him. He's not yours! Put him down. That's it and now- wait! Who's that behind your back? Hey! You put Jim back right now! You're hopeless.  
  
Dedication: I realized I've never really dedicated a story to someone, but I have dedicated it to them in my mind. So now I'm officially dedicating this to two people, one to Katti who got me into anime oh so many years ago (nearly nine to be precise!) and to The Ronin who really got me into writing Outlaw fan fiction.  
  
With out further a due  
  
Wild West Outlaw  
  
Chapter One  
  
The gentle breeze rustled the hair of all who lived in the dry Texas town. One probably wouldn't even call it a town; it was more like a simple group of plain, rickety wooden houses with a general store in the middle of it all.  
  
The town had once had a clear blue river rushing gently by, but it had long since dried up, as did the energy of the town. The few who remained lived in a deep-set depression, doing everything in a dull schedule.  
  
The single saloon (brothel after sundown for those who knew someone at the top) Molly's Saloon, in the town was always busy. The only two story building in the town was painted a maroon which was now faded because of the ever blowing dusty winds. Constantly bustling with the local people drinking contently and the travelers from the west complaining over their beers about their luck finding gold.  
  
The Saloon was filled with the sounds of roaring laughter, shuffling poker cards, glasses clinking, and the corner piano playing. Young women hoping to climb up the ladder of life by sleeping their way to the top hung off the arms of the few men playing poker in the corner, laughing too loudly at the men's jokes and smelling of booze and perfume.  
  
The old fashioned swinging door of the saloon swung open quickly, hitting the wall behind it with a slam. A tall man was standing in the doorway, his features shadowed due to the light pouring in from behind him.  
  
The loud sound of the Saloon stopped for only a moment, until the people there had looked up and analyzed the new comer, then the sound continued once more as the stranger faded into nothingness in their minds.  
  
The stranger slammed his fist hard on the bar, and the elder man who ran it looked up in mild interest, one thick salt and pepper eyebrow raised. The bartender, a man named Clyde who had been a smart ass in his youth, moved more slowly than usual, on purpose to test the new young man's temper. When he finally finished cleaning the glass he set it down and slowly walked over to the stranger.  
  
"Your poison?" Clyde drawled out slowly.  
  
"Whisky." The young man said gruffly.  
  
Clyde stared at the young man a moment, observing him, taking him in.  
  
He appeared to be about twenty, his hair was the burning color of the red sunset, his eyes the opposite, a hard clear blue. He had the appearance of a man who was trying to hide who he was. He was wearing an ankle length trench coat of sorts, made of what appeared to be leather. The collar was pulled up, and the young man's face was half hidden. His hat, burnt brown in color like his coat, was pulled mainly over one eye, but the other shone like a clear blue beacon.  
  
Clyde, feeling slightly unnerved under the blue stare, moved on quickly to pour the strange young man his drink.  
  
The stranger looked down at his wind burned hands, apparently in thought, when he felt something warm and soft press gently into his back.  
  
A scent of perfume wafted over him and he heard felt a soft breathe against his ear.  
  
"Hey stranger." A light voice whispered.  
  
The stranger turned around to face a beautiful young girl. Golden hair framed her face in simple waves, her green eyes shone; her tight wine colored dress pushed up her bosom. A black ribbon was tied seductively at her throat. A strong perfume floated around her, slightly covering up the smell of booze and cigarettes.  
  
She smiled sweetly up at him and said, "looking for a good time tonight handsome? I'm Iris."  
  
The stranger smirked down at her, "Gene. Gene Starwind."  
  
"The sun's going down soon. Stay with me?" Iris said, smiling coyly.  
  
Gene leaned in to brush his lips against her cheek.  
  
"Sure."  
  
****************************  
  
The last few rays of the sun reached into the sky as Iris, giggling, took Gene's hand and led him up the old back stairs to the legendary second floor, where all the fun was after, only after, sunset.  
  
Iris opened the door to room seven, a simple room decorated in navy with only a bed and a dresser in it.  
  
Gene, feeling slightly annoyed that he had to wait, threw off his hat and coat. He picked up Iris and, not really caring if he hurt her, threw her on the bed, lust controlling him.  
  
He got on top of her quickly, kissing her with need.  
  
She moaned softly into his mouth, her fingers unbuttoning his gray gingham shirt.  
  
Gene found the ribbons behind her back and tore them off quickly causing the bodice to fall off, revealing her corset, pushing her breasts up.  
  
Gene nipped her neck and trailed kisses down to her breasts. Iris began breathing quickly, running her fingers through Gene's hair. Gene ran his tongue slowly over the top of her breasts and was moving to undo the corset when a loud bang on the door made him stop.  
  
"Damn it Gene! I can't count on you for one god damn minute!"  
  
Gene froze.  
  
Jim.  
  
Gene got off Iris quickly and unlocked the door.  
  
In the doorway a small boy of eleven stood, looking livid. His blonde hair was messy and wind blown, with grits of sand stuck in it. His blue eyes were as deep and clear as Gene's. He was wearing a trench coat similar to Gene's, but unlike Gene's this one was a pale tan in color, with rips and tears in it.  
  
Gene ruffled Jim's hair affectionately and grinned.  
  
"Sorry, Jim. It's just been a while; since-" Gene stopped and looked pointedly over his shoulder at Iris who was now sitting up, her face flushed in anger.  
  
"What are you doing?" she hissed.  
  
"Sorry Iris," Gene said softly, Jim rolled his eyes in the background. He leaned down and kissed her passionately. "But I've got business."  
  
And with that he buttoned up his shirt, grabbed his coat and crammed his hat on his head. He followed Jim out the door but turned at the last minute and flipped a dime at Iris with a roughish wink.  
  
Iris looked down at the dime her face getting redder.  
  
"You-you owe me a new dress Gene Starwind!" she wailed into the night.  
  
Outside the Saloon Jim smirked.  
  
"You never change..." he muttered.  
  
"Damn right." Gene said with a laugh.  
  
******************************  
  
"You mean she wasn't there either?" Jim asked, annoyed.  
  
"Nope." Said Gene.  
  
"Hmm." Jim said staring off into the distance, deep in thought.  
  
"Well, we can still try Jameson right?" Gene asked, reaching down into a patch tied to his saddle to take out a thin bottle of whisky.  
  
"Yea." Jim said.  
  
"Let's go already." Gene whined.  
  
Jim quickly lifted his leg and swung himself onto his tawny colored horse, James.  
  
"I can't believe you named your horse after yourself." Gene said, shaking his head in disgust as he climbed onto his own, midnight black horse, Outlaw.  
  
Jim blushed but muttered back, "Better than the name Outlaw, at least I have originality!"  
  
They bickered back and forth like siblings as they rode out of the dusty Texas town, heading toward Jameson.  
  
*****************************  
  
"We're lost aren't we?" Jim asked Gene.  
  
"Ugh! No. I just don't know where we are." Gene snapped.  
  
"We're lost." Jim said, rolling his eyes skyward.  
  
"No I just-" Gene began but stopped talking as he heard the sound of gunshots in the distance.  
  
"Hey. Isn't that the sound of-" Jim began but Gene signaled for him to be quiet.  
  
"Come on." Gene whispered after a few more minutes, and he began riding at full speed toward the sound of the gunshots, with Jim on his heels.  
  
"Yaw! Come on Outlaw faster damn it." Gene muttered under his breath as they headed toward the sound of the shots.  
  
Soon Gene could see dark silhouettes on the horizon, the outlines blurred by the heat. The closer he rode the clearer the silhouettes became, and soon Gene could see there were about five people in black surrounding what appeared to be a woman in men's clothing and a young man covered in a brown coat with a hood.  
  
Gene narrowed his eyes, if it was one thing he hated; it was people attacking women and children. With a strange sort of war cry he leapt off his horse wildly and hit one of the tall men in black before he could react.  
  
Jim followed suit, and launched himself off his running horse and collided into a man in black.  
  
The woman glanced around uneasily before shouting, "run! Now!" to the boy in the coat. The boy started to run but was caught by one of the men, and hit over the head by the end of the rifle.  
  
The woman growled and pulled out a gun of her own, a smaller Colt 45 model, and began to shoot at the man who hit the boy. The man gave a strangled cry as the bullets pierced him, then he fell down, silent.  
  
Gene had head butted the guy he'd landed on, rendering him unable to fight for a few minutes.  
  
"Jim catch!" Gene shouted and threw Jim a slim model Winchester rifle, having pulled it from a large pocket in his trench coat.  
  
"Thanks!" Jim shouted as he clumsily caught the long gun. Although the gun was nearly as big as he was, Jim managed to have good aim. He quickly shot one of the men in the legs, and another near the stomach.  
  
"Yaaaah!" a cry came from the woman as she tackled one of the two remaining men. The man Gene had head butted was once again getting up and charging at Jim.  
  
Jim tried to fire the rifle, but the man brought out a gun of his own and shot, hitting Jim on the shoulder.  
  
Jim's eyes widened as the man ran toward him, he was frozen, but the man suddenly fell down. Jim looked up and recoiled, seeing a small tomahawk imbedded in the base of the mans neck. The woman calmly walked up and pulled it out of the dead man, then gently tied it to her belt.  
  
Gene ran over to Jim and checked the young boy's shoulder wound.  
  
"I'm fine," Jim said. "It's a simple graze."  
  
"Good." Gene smirked. "I didn't want to have to go looking around for an aloe plant.  
  
"Like you could fine one out here." Jim muttered  
  
"I'm not going to thank you." The cold voice of the woman they had save reached Gene's ears.  
  
Now that the action had stopped, Gene got a close look at her. She was tall for a woman, and quite busty, with surprisingly messy short black hair and golden eyes, like a cats.  
  
Gene was enthralled.  
  
"Gene Starwind." Gene said with a grin, reaching his hand out for the strange woman to shake, but she didn't take it.  
  
"Hilda." She said shortly.  
  
"Well, Hilda, I-" Gene started, but suddenly Hilda's eyes widened in shock as the loud crack of gunfire sounded in the air. A warm spurt of blood flew across Gene, hitting him in the face, as the young woman in front of him was shot through the lung. More shots rang out as bullets hit her in the back of the head and the mid section.  
  
She fell to the ground, revealing one of the men in black holding up a gun, breathing very heavily.  
  
"Bastard!" Jim shouted, he aimed quickly, and shot the last man in black through the head.  
  
Gene looked down at the body of the dead woman, what a waste of life. He pondered what she'd done to deserve this.  
  
"Hey Gene look." Jim said suddenly, nudging Gene and pointing to where the young boy was. The boy was stirring, shaking his head with a soft groan.  
  
"Hilda?" a soft voice from under the hood called out.  
  
Gene narrowed his eyes and quickly strode over to the boy, picking him up by his neck.  
  
"You tell me what's going on right-" Gene stopped yelling, and peered into the face in the hood, his eyes wide with shock.  
  
What he had originally had though was a boy, wasn't a boy at all. It was a young girl, no older than eighteen.  
  
She had a soft round face, which was swallowed by large haunted brown eyes; her black hair was short and spiky with two long bangs on either side of her face. Her cheeks were tear stained and dirty, and it appeared she had dressed up like a boy on purpose.  
  
She cringed in fear from Gene, and he felt slightly guilty. She'd just been attacked then yelled at by a strange man whose face was covered in blood.  
  
He'd be scared to.  
  
"What's your name?" Gene asked gently, and he slowly brought his arms around her in what he hoped was a comforting embrace.  
  
She looked up at him with wide empty eyes and said in such a soft and melancholy voice that Gene had to strain to hear.  
  
"Melfina."  
  
End of chapter one.  
  
Reviews keep me alive! I do not need such superficial things like food, water or air! Give me reviews! Muahahahahahha.  
  
Anyway, read n review  
  
Mandy~Chan 


	2. chapter 2

Yay! Update time! Thank you all my reviewers! You make me warm n fuzzy on the inside.  
  
From now on, I will try my hardest to make the updates on this story at least once a week. But that doesn't mean I won't update it sooner if I get the chapter done before schedule!  
  
Disclaimer: Outlaw Star isn't mine. Because if it were I would NEVER have cut Gene's hair! *Rips up screen caps of Gene with short hair.*  
  
Warnings: angst, angst, and angst  
  
Wild West Outlaw  
  
Chapter two  
  
"Melfina?" Gene asked, confusion evident in his voice.  
  
'What an unusual name.' He thought  
  
"What happened?" Melfina murmured, looking around, her eyebrows pinched with worry. "Where's Hilda?"  
  
Before he could stop her Melfina had turned around, giving her a full view of the carnage he had caused only moments ago.  
  
Her soft brown eyes widened, and her pale thin hands flew up to her mouth, and she uttered a soft scream.  
  
Gene winced, he hadn't really thought about it until now, but he himself was used to blood and gore. But a young girl like this one probably wasn't at all.  
  
Not that Gene didn't enjoy the company of women, but to be around them when they weren't in bed, irritated him a bit. Having grown up an orphan, he was used to hard times, and to hear a woman simpering over something small made him nauseated.  
  
Melfina gave a dry sort of sob and sank to her knees in front of Hilda's mutilated body, bringing Gene out of his reverie.  
  
"She-she took me in. I-I d-didn't know-know-" But Melfina couldn't continue, she was sobbing so hard, hiccupping constantly. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, a few trailing off the bridge of her nose, leaving a trail of clean skin through the thick dust on her cheeks. She looked like a sad lost child, as she gently cradled hand in her own.  
  
Jim, torn between hugging her and staying where he was, instead opted to gently touching Melfina's shoulder.  
  
"Melfina." He said softly, and she turned slowly to look at him.  
  
"Who are you?" Melfina asked, her voice full of fear. "What am I doing here? Why is Hilda de-" Melfina swallowed thickly, "dead?"  
  
She slowly stood up and turned to face Gene, who had to stop himself from flinching at her depressing appearance.  
  
"I'm all alone now."  
  
She seemed to crumple under the weight of her own words, and she scrunched up her eyes as more tears began to flow. She slowly raised her hands to her eyes and began to the rub them franticly.  
  
Gene sighed, feeling guilty.  
  
He reached out and slowly pulled Melfina toward him. Not really sure what he was doing, and realizing he was being incredibly forward, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders.  
  
She stiffened at first, but then relaxed into his embrace.  
  
For the first time in a long time, Gene was hugging a woman with no lust involved.  
  
"She-she died to p-protect me." Melfina sobbed, her voice muffled, as her face was pressed into Gene's chest.  
  
Gene's face softened.  
  
"Don't worry. I'll...I'll take you in now." Gene said softly.  
  
Gene's eyebrows furrowed into confusion almost immediately, he had barely met this young girl, and although he had saved her life, he didn't really feel for her.  
  
And yet, he, Gene Starwind, one of the worst womanizers on earth, was offering to take in a mere slip of a girl, for no reason at all other than pity.  
  
"Gene." Jim said stepping forward and reaching out his hand slightly, "you sure you wanna do this?"  
  
Gene felt Melfina tense up again, and then she leaned back and looked into his eyes, her own swimming with tears and red.  
  
A long silence followed, in which Gene simply looked down at Melfina, neither talking nor moving.  
  
"Gene?" Jim repeated.  
  
"None of this makes sense, but I've decided," Gene said, still looking directly at Melfina, "Melfina? Will you come with us?"  
  
Melfina felt her mind reel, and her heart race, but she had nowhere else to go, so she gulped and slowly nodded her head.  
  
Melfina felt like she was in a dream, viewing what was occurring from outside her body. She felt Gene lift her slowly onto his horse, and she numbly wrapped her arms around his waist. She heard Jim talking quietly to Gene, but didn't pay attention.  
  
She felt lost and alone.  
  
She was alone.  
  
***************************  
  
"Melfina? Melfina?"  
  
Melfina slowly opened her eyes and coughed; her throat hurt.  
  
The blurry outline of Jim's face blocked anything else from her view.  
  
"Jim?" she croaked, and then blushed at the gruff sound of her voice.  
  
She slowly sat up, feeling very dizzy.  
  
"Here." Jim said, and he placed a glass of water in her hand.  
  
Melfina looked down at the slightly dirty water and felt her stomach jump, but her throat hurt so badly at the moment she took a drink anyway.  
  
Melfina lifted her face and looked at Jim. She was about to open her mouth to ask him something when he answered it first; "you fell asleep on the way to Jameson."  
  
"Oh." was all Melfina said.  
  
"Do you-do you want to clean up?" Jim asked, turning red and looking at his feet.  
  
"Clean up?" Melfina asked, her naivety taking the better of her.  
  
Blushing an even deeper red, Jim pointed to a small tub in the corner of the room, with a type of thin folding screen standing next to it.  
  
"We don't have any women's clothing right now, but seeing as it's night it doesn't really matter. All we have are pants and shirts. You can wear one of Gene's under shirts to bed, "at this Jim's face turned even more red, and his face shone like a beacon, "if you want."  
  
Melfina considered for a moment. She felt disgusting, with sand and dried tears covering her face, and blood and sand matted in her dirty, tangled hair. Her overly large clothes were ripped and torn, and her bound breasts were hurting terribly.  
  
"Yes, please." Melfina said with a small smile.  
  
Jim's blush was beginning to wade and he mumbled, "I'll sit on the bed, since I wouldn't feel right about leaving you in here alone. But I won't look. You can pull that screen as a sort of privacy...um...thing."  
  
Melfina didn't bother to wait until Jim turned around, as she trusted him already. He was sweet.  
  
She pulled the thin screen around the tub, which was already full of warm water, apparently poured from the warm kettle in the corner. She slowly pulled off her dirty brown shirt, made overly baggy on purpose to hide the fact that she was a girl. Then she untied the thick bandages wrapped around her bust, with an exhale of relief. She could breathe properly now. She pulled off the thick pants and gently folded them up. Her thick cotton underwear, torn on the side, was carefully hidden under the rest of her clothes. Melfina blushed at the thought of Jim finding her underwear.  
  
She slowly sank into the warm water, and sighed with relief. Although the tub was small, she fit in it nicely enough. With some twisting and a large breath of air, Melfina managed to dunk her head under water, and scrub furiously.  
  
"Jim." Melfina called, rubbing at some water in her eye. "Do you have any lyre?"  
  
Melfina giggled quietly as she heard some sputtering and quick movements from the other side of the thin screen, and then she saw a shaky hand reach around the screen, holding a bar of lyre.  
  
"Thank you." Melfina said, and she took the lyre quickly.  
  
She scrubbed at the dirt and grime on her body, then rubbed up a lot of lather and scrubbed it into her hair. Finally rinsing it all out, Melfina felt clean.  
  
"Here!'' Jim shouted suddenly, and a very large shirt suddenly flew over the screen, and landed haphazardly next to the tub.  
  
"Thank you!" Melfina repeated.  
  
Jim stammered "you're welcome." back and silently cursed himself. He'd been around women many times before. And in much more of a sexual situation than now, thanks to Gene. And yet, he felt more embarrassed here, than with the others.  
  
'Probably because they were sleazy women, and Melfina is different, more pure.' Jim thought.  
  
Jim came out of his thought train when Gene quickly came into the room, announcing himself with a slam of the door.  
  
"Hey Jim." Gene said, with a small wave. "Where's Melfi-" But Gene stopped short as he looked over to the screen, in which Melfina was hidden behind. For by a trick of the lantern light, Melfina's outline was visible. And as Melfina was standing up now, all or her curves were extremely visible.  
  
Gene grinned wolfishly and began to move toward the screen but was stopped short when a skillet slammed onto his shin.  
  
"Shit!" Gene yelped, and he began to hop on one foot, holding his shin in his hands.  
  
Jim got off the floor; holding the skillet, and muttered, "Serve's you right."  
  
"Why you little!" Gene shouted and was about to tackle Jim when a small voice interrupted him.  
  
"Gene? Jim? Why are you fighting?"  
  
Gene looked over and felt his eyes widen.  
  
Melfina had moved out from behind the screen, and was wearing one of his larger shirts; it reached her knees and the sleeves went far passed her hands. Her hands were crossed over her chest, but that didn't hide the fact that her breasts were considerably larger than before.  
  
'They must've been bound.' Gene thought.  
  
Although she wasn't dazzling gorgeous, she sure cleaned up nice. She was pretty in an innocent way. Her face, now that it wasn't covered in grime, was a soft alabaster. Her eyes were deep brown and full of sorrow. Her hair, now much cleaner, fell softly onto her shoulders, a shining black wave.  
  
"Um, Jim?" Melfina asked, snapping Jim and Gene out of their stupor.  
  
"Y-yeah?" Jim asked, blushing worse than ever.  
  
"Do you have any pants of some sort? I don't feel right only wearing this." Melfina said, gently tugging at the corner of the collar of the large shirt.  
  
"Oh!" Gene said looking around for the bag he'd brought with him. "Here. I got something for you Melfina!"  
  
"For me?" Melfina asked, her eyes lighting up with curiosity.  
  
"Yea!" Gene said, pulling something very blue out of the bag. "I owe Cathy big time! I told her my sister was visiting and I needed two outfits. So I borrowed these from her. We're pretty lucky, otherwise you would've had to make your own clothes out of material."  
  
Melfina took the bag and pulled out the sleeping gown inside it. She held it out at arms length to admire it. It was once white, but had now faded to beige, and reached her ankles. The sleeves were thin and only reached her elbows; the bodice was a complicated section of ribbons and lace. The collar, didn't actually cover the neck, but was a simple squared neckline.  
  
Melfina set down the gown and looked at the one dress she now owned.  
  
'Borrowed.' Her mind corrected.  
  
It was a simple gingham dress, ankle length, a deep blue in color, with a lighter blue plaid outline along the neckline, sleeves and apron, which was sewn on to the waist.  
  
Melfina peered into the bad to see if there was anything she'd missed and saw at the bottom, a pair of long stockings, some undergarments, and a small pair of white and black shoes, with small heels.  
  
Jim who had also looked in the bag (blushing furiously when he saw the undergarments) peered up at Gene, one eyebrow cocked.  
  
"You got all this from Cathy?" Jim asked, a definite note of doubt in his voice.  
  
"Yea. I mean I had to give her something in return though." Gene said, avoiding Jim eyes.  
  
Melfina took the nightgown, and once again got dressed behind the screen, while Jim repeatedly smacked Gene as he tried to look.  
  
Once in her gown, Melfina sat on the end of the bed in the room and looked at Gene and Jim.  
  
"Now Melfina." Gene said, his tone suddenly serious, "we need you to tell us, why those people were after you and Hilda."  
  
Melfina's face crumpled and she looked at her hands. She whispered something so softly that Gene couldn't hear.  
  
"What?" Gene asked.  
  
"I-I don't know why." Melfina muttered.  
  
"You don't know?" Jim asked, confused.  
  
"I don't know!" Melfina wailed, with a dry sob. "I only knew Hilda for a few days! I can't remember anything at all before I met her. She told me she found me, in a town, and she took me in. she said I knew things! Special things! But I couldn't remember anything before she woke me up. She said that was ok and I would remember when I got there. But I didn't remember anything. And then people started to come after us! People dressed all in black, they chased us all day and night. And when they would corner us they whispered horrible things to me. And I hated it! I hated being with her! She was nice to me but I wanted to get away!"  
  
Gene and Jim stared in shock at her outburst.  
  
"I didn't know anything about myself," Melfina continued through sobs. "So I decided to stay with Hilda. And since she had found me I felt I owed her. But the people chasing us kept getting closer and closer! And we would've been caught if you hadn't come and helped. But before you arrived one of the men in black said 'you know the way Maiden, stop wasting our time.' And something clicked. I saw a flash of something, like a map of some sort. And then...and then you came. And had the fight, and Hilda-Hilda." With a small wail, Melfina buried her face in her hands and began to cry again.  
  
Melfina never felt more alone, and then she felt small arms hug her shoulders gently. She looked up and saw Jim's smiling face.  
  
"Don't worry. We can help you now. We won't abandon you." Jim said hugging her tightly.  
  
"Oh Jim." Melfina sighed, and she hugged Jim back.  
  
Gene, who had remained quiet until now, spoke up, "yea. Melfina. Don't worry! We'll find your past."  
  
Melfina gave him a watery smile over Jim's shoulder.  
  
*****************************  
  
Melfina looked up silently at the ceiling.  
  
Gene and Jim had fallen asleep sometime ago. Gene was on the floor and Jim was in the bed, scooted as far away from Melfina as possible, his modesty getting the better of him.  
  
Suddenly feeling slightly daring, Melfina sang softly into the night,  
  
"One soundless Midday  
  
The wind was fresh and clean.  
  
And the flower petals sway,  
  
As if asleep."  
  
Melfina stopped and felt saddened, was that a song from her past? She'd begun singing it soon after she met Hilda.  
  
Suddenly, inside her mind, she saw a flash of a young girl laughing. Then it was gone.  
  
Feeling disheartened, Melfina rolled over and closed her eyes.  
  
She fell asleep crying.  
  
End of chapter two.  
  
Yay! Another chapter is done! By the way, I used the Japanese translation of the song Melfina sings, not the American dubbed one. Why? Cause I think it's prettier! Ok, that's all for now. Review please!  
  
Mandy~chan 


	3. chapter 3

Another update. Weehoo. Sorry if it's been awhile. I just had two big tests to study for.and a lot of family stuff to get through! *Bows* gomen!  
  
Warning: um, all the usual stuff, violence, sex, bad words, everything a growing boy needs.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own. You don't sue.  
  
Wild West Outlaw  
  
Chapter 3  
  
She was beautiful.  
  
An unpretty beautiful that no one wanted.  
  
Her body was small, thin, and pale.  
  
She danced slowly, feeling the wind flow through out her soul.  
  
The petals from nearby flowers whirled around her like an aura.  
  
Her hair flowed like an ebony river.  
  
Her eyes shone like stormy water, silver and brown.  
  
A soft haunting whisper poured from her lips.  
  
"Maiden."  
  
Melfina woke with a start, flinging the thin sheet covering her off the bed. A trickle of cold sheen trailed down the small of her back, tickling her slightly.  
  
"Mel?" a confused and disoriented voice murmured.  
  
Melfina whipped her head around to see Jim, propped up on one elbow, staring at her with tired yet concerned eyes.  
  
"Are you alright?" Jim asked.  
  
"I'm fine." Melfina said a little to quickly, taking a deep breath she forced a smile and added, "don't worry. Just go back to sleep."  
  
Melfina drew in a long shuddering breath, mentally calming herself.  
  
'I can start to cook at least.' Melfina thought, a small smile creeping it's way onto her face.  
  
She soon was completely awake, nearly all spare thoughts dwelling on her nightmare were gone, and her full attention was focused on the flapjacks and coffee she was planning to make.  
  
Melfina stopped in mid-thought as she realized that she, Jim and Gene were actually in a local inn, and there would be no need for her to cook. She almost wilted in disappointment.  
  
Now Melfina faced three problems, she now could not cook, which also left her mind idle enough to dwell on her nightmare, and also meant she would remain hungry unless she went to the bar downstairs and ate an early breakfast, provided by the innkeeper's wife.  
  
Though her stomach was growling Melfina felt extremely hesitant about going down to the bar, especially alone, and this early in the morning.  
  
Melfina hesitated then peered through the window to look at a tall clock tower in the western area of the small town. It read four a.m., Melfina could see it clearly even though it was still dark outside.  
  
Melfina bit her bottom lip hard, now the idea of going downstairs seemed even less appealing. Melfina had at first guessed it to be at least five or five thirty. But if it was only four, some of the night loners might still be around in the bar, looking to pick up a young girl.  
  
Melfina shuddered. Hilda had told her all about such things, things like night loners, and prostitutes, and gamblers, and barmen. Where to go after dark, or better yet where not to, and who you could most likely trust and who you couldn't.  
  
Melfina felt a sad pang in her heart; Hilda hadn't deserved to meet such an awful end.  
  
Melfina started slightly as Gene let out a particularly loud snore, and turned over onto his side violently with a mumbled curse.  
  
Melfina's eyes, already wide and naturally innocent, softened even more when she looked upon Gene. A warm glow spread through her and she placed a thin pale hand upon her breast, feeling her racing heart.  
  
'Why am I so flushed?' she thought, feeling the heat radiate from her body.  
  
She stared at Gene for a long time, and suddenly felt an amazing urge to do something for him.  
  
'I just know he'll want some strong coffee.' Melfina thought, an eager to please syndrome coursing through her suddenly.  
  
She pulled on her delicate lace up boots, and set off downstairs, keeping her eyes downcast and her hands clasped in front of her.  
  
*****************************  
  
Melfina peered over the thin wooden railing, looking out onto the hazy bar, which was nearly empty except for one table of three men in a corner.  
  
Melfina leaned over a little farther and was able to see a petite woman with blonde hair so pale it could only be called a silvery white, setting out foods of sort onto a long table at the far end of the room.  
  
Melfina gulped and quickly but quietly hurried down the stairs in a flurry of blue skirts.  
  
She forced herself to walk calmly across the room toward the woman setting up the table, her wariness of the stranger men in the corner the only thing keeping her from breaking out into a run.  
  
"Do-do you have any c-coffee?" Melfina stuttered out, keeping her face half hidden by her hair.  
  
The young girl turned around, revealing a round lovely face, with large blue-green eyes and deeply tanned skin. Melfina blushed at the daring of the young girl's blood red dress. The neckline, usually low, had been altered to where her breasts were practically indecent. The skirt and bodice had been wrapped in a sort soft shimmery black material, and was intertwined with black ribbons in the back in a series of complicated tucks and ties. A black choker with a single ruby in the shape of a teardrop, which glimmered seductively at the girl's throat, were the only jewelry she seemed to possess.  
  
Despite her daring attire, the girl had a sweet smile and appeared to be Melfina's age. So Melfina tried once more, this time slowing her voice, "Do you have any coffee? That I can take up to my room?"  
  
"Well, I'm really not supposed to let you do that, but for some reason I like you, so I think I'll let you take this nice little pot of fresh coffee with you. But you gotta bring the pot back ok?" The girl added with a grin and a wink.  
  
"Thank you so much!" Melfina said happily, cradling her newly acquired pot in her hands.  
  
"Anytime." The girl said, before she once again busied herself with setting the table.  
  
Melfina quietly smiled and rushed upstairs, eager to see the happy look on Gene's face when he saw what she'd gotten for him.  
  
**********************************  
  
Jim awoke, the sharp smell of coffee tingling his nose. He slowly rose from under the warm covers to peer sleepily in the corner, where Melfina was sitting, next to a table with a coffee pot and two cups sitting on it.  
  
"Morning!" She exclaimed brightly.  
  
Vaguely, Jim remembered awakening in the night from Melfina's sobs, and although he knew better than to pursue the subject, Jim hoped she was feeling much better.  
  
"Where'd you get this coffee?" Jim asked, slowly getting out of bed and walking toward the cup, which, he noticed happily, was full of hot rich coffee.  
  
As Jim gratefully took a gulp of the bitter brew Melfina brightly supplied, "the bar downstairs, from a serving lady."  
  
Jim choked on his coffee. "What?!" he exclaimed. The though of a pure and innocent young girl like Melfina wandering around in a bar made Jim feel sick.  
  
"It's fine Jim. A barmaid helped me." Melfina said, with a smile.  
  
"Huh?" Jim muttered, still stuck on the thought of Melfina in a bar.  
  
"The barmaid in red, downstairs, she helped me." Melfina said.  
  
"Hmm. I'm gonna go thank her. You wake up Gene ok?" Jim said, and with a half wave, he was out the door.  
  
********************************  
  
Jim stepped down the last stair, and he was in the dirty grimy bar, at a little before six thirty in the morning, right at the breakfast time rush. He steadied himself, setting a look an aloof indifference upon his face, and began to walk over to the bar.  
  
"Hey. Is there a barmaid in here wearing red?" Jim asked the barman, absentmindedly rapping his knuckles on the high polished bar surface.  
  
"Hmm." The old barman pondered for a minute, "You must mean Ruby."  
  
"Ruby?" Jim asked, confused.  
  
The barman answered by simply pointing to a barmaid Jim hadn't noticed earlier, dressed in all red, in a corner serving some miners.  
  
"Thanks." Jim said with a tip of his hat.  
  
As he walked closer to the group, he could see the barmaid peering down at a table of about five men playing cards and drinking whiskey. He smirked when he noticed she was trying an old trick, positioning her arms to push up her breasts even more.  
  
He was close enough now to hear snatches of their conversation.  
  
"How 'bout, if I win, I take you upstairs tonight?" one of the miners said with a leer toward the pretty barmaid.  
  
"Not a chance." She said with a sweet smile and she turned around, running promptly into Jim.  
  
"Oh!" she said, peering down at Jim with a grin. "Well aren't you cute."  
  
Jim blushed, for some reason women always found him cute.  
  
"I just wanted to thank you, for lending my friend the coffee pot. We'll bring it back as soon as our other friend wakes up." Jim said, staring at his foot, his cheeks stained pink.  
  
"Oh yea! I remember. No problem, she seemed like a sweet girl, so it's no big deal. I'm called Ruby around here." She said, adding a wink for flair.  
  
"I'm Jim. Jim Hawking."  
  
*****************************  
  
"Gene! Please wake up." Melfina pleaded.  
  
She was already having trouble being so near to him, when he was lying on the ground. And the fact that he was such a deep sleeper didn't help her at all. And to top it off he was having some sort of wild dream, and kept trying to grab Melfina and pull her towards him.  
  
With her face on fire from blushing, she tried again.  
  
She reached a tentative hand towards Gene's shoulder, and began to shake it. She let out a soft cry of surprise when Gene grabbed her by the wrist and proceeded to roll over, taking Melfina with him. It was the second time she'd been caught by Gene in his sleep since Jim had asked her to try and wake him. But the first time she had at least been able to wriggle out. Now she was stuck steadfast, pinned between the floor with Gene's right arm draped over her and his left one under her, cradling her slightly.  
  
Gene mumbled incoherently in his sleep and pulled her closer.  
  
Melfina gulped, and attempted to move, to no avail.  
  
Then just as suddenly as he'd grabbed her, Gene released his hold on her and rolled over once more.  
  
Melfina quickly scrambled onto the bed, out of Gene's reach, and put a hand over her mouth, to try and smother her loud breathing.  
  
'I've never been so close to any man before.' Melfina thought. 'Well, that I can remember.' She added sadly.  
  
Suddenly the door slammed open and Jim stepped in. taking one look at the blushing Melfina on the bed and the flailing Gene on the ground, Jim took one step and kicked Gene in the side.  
  
Gene let out a howl of pain and bolted upright.  
  
"What the hell was that for?" Gene yelled at Jim.  
  
"You wouldn't wake up." Jim stated calmly.  
  
"You stupid son of a-!" Gene started but suddenly stopped. His brow furrowed, Gene pressed his ear against the door and listened.  
  
Melfina looked at Jim, with confused eyes, but Jim simply shrugged.  
  
"Get down!" Gene suddenly yelled, and he lunged for Melfina and Jim, pushing them to the ground.  
  
A sudden cracking noise filled the air, and bullets riddled themselves through the thin wooden door. Melfina, unable to squelch her fear, let out a shriek, as bullets and pieces of wood flew across the room.  
  
A rough voiced yelled a command and three men pushed their way into the room.  
  
"Give us the maiden!" one of them roared, aiming his pistol at Gene's temple.  
  
"Fuck off!" Gene shouted, and with surprising agility he slid down and kicked his leg up, hitting one of them men in the thigh hard with his boot.  
  
Jim, now no longer under Gene, got up and ran toward the Winchester Rifle, propped against the wall. But one of the men caught Jim by the scruff of his neck and hurled him against the wall, which he hit full on then slumped to the floor, motionless.  
  
"Jim!" Gene yelled, trying to reach Jim, but two of the men quickly restrained them from behind.  
  
The other man quickly picked up Melfina, who until then had been trying to sneak toward the rifle, and held her securely, with one arm wrapped around her just under her bosom. She was completely stuck, her arms pinned to her sides, her feet dangling uselessly at least a foot above the floor.  
  
"Gene!" Melfina wailed, struggling to wrench free.  
  
"Mel-Melfina." Gene croaked.  
  
The man holding Melfina slowly backed out the door, but froze suddenly, his eyes wide, his back slightly arched.  
  
"Not a chance of escaping now." A young woman's voice mocked sweetly.  
  
A single shot rang out and the man fell to the floor clutching his shoulder, dropping Melfina in the process.  
  
With the man fallen, there in the door way stood the barmaid, Ruby, who'd helped Melfina earlier. She was wearing men's clothes, but she was looking just as beautiful as always, wearing deep hunter green pants and shirt, with a long black coat, with her thick pale hair in a long plait behind her.  
  
She was holding out two pistols, one in each hand, her eyes wary and cautious.  
  
"Get behind me!" she yelled to Melfina, who immediately complied.  
  
One of the men tried to aim his gun at the young heroine but was quickly stopped as she shot him in the shoulder, and his companion as well.  
  
With the danger rolling on the floor in pain, Gene rushed to Jim, who was starting to sit up, rubbing his head.  
  
"You ok?" Gene asked.  
  
"Yea, fine. Just a little dizzy." Jim said with a lopsided salute.  
  
"Come on! We've got to get out of here!" Gene said, quickly helping Jim up.  
  
Gene grabbed his rifle, overcoat and thick leather pouch and slung them over his shoulder. With a nod the four started downstairs and were soon out into the morning sun.  
  
Gene quickly saddled his horse and hooked up the reins. He hopped on and reached down quickly for Melfina, who hesitated for only a moment, then slipped her hand into his. He pulled and helped her to sit, sidesaddle, on his horse. She wrapped her thin arms around his waist and felt safer than she'd ever felt before.  
  
A loud roar coursed through the air, as two more men, both in black, came galloping toward the horrified foursome.  
  
"Bastard!" Ruby yelled and took aim. She hit one of them dead on, right in the chest, but missed the other, only skimming his face.  
  
With a strangled cry Jim hopped onto his horse and was planning on riding away, but Ruby pulled onto the saddle and hoisted herself up, behind Jim.  
  
"Hey!" Jim started to protest, but was interrupted when Ruby screamed, "Move it!"  
  
Gene and Jim urged their horses, and both began galloping, with the man in black trailing behind.  
  
Ruby turned around, clumsily balancing on the horse's haunches, and took aim, this time with a long rifle she'd pulled from a large loop in her coat. She aimed and smirked with satisfaction as the man pursuing them cried out in pain, and fell behind clutching his newly wounded arm.  
  
"Great job Ruby!" Jim yelled, over the sound of the galloping.  
  
"Yea." She said with a grin as she turned around, slipping the rifle back into the cloth loops in her coat, and situating herself again.  
  
She wrapped her arms loosely around Jim and yelled for all three to hear, "You guys can call me by my real name! It's Aisha!"  
  
End of Chapter three  
  
Getting interesting? Now that Aisha is in the picture? Well I sure hope so! Review please! 


	4. chapter 4

Okay, I was more than a little annoyed that my word program was deleted... but I can't help it... I must continue this story. Please bare with the grammar mistakes as I no longer have spell check.  
sorry for the wait.  
  
Wild West Outlaw  
  
Chapter Four  
  
In the middle of a small group of knarled trees in the desert, a small group of people bickered back and forth.  
  
"Let me get this straight..." Aisha said, looking at the trio skeptically. "You two," she pointed at Gene and Jim, "rescued her," she pointed at Melfina, "from some mysterious guys in black who are chasing her. And you have no clue why?!"  
  
"Yes damn it. For the third time!" Gene snapped.  
  
Aisha frowned.  
  
People didn't go chasing after others for no reason at all.  
  
She had been down in the bar trying to serve her usual ruond of rowdy customers when a man dressed in an unusual black outift had approached her.  
  
"Has a girl been here? Black hair. Brown eyes. Young and small like you." He had asked gruffly, putting a hand on the brim of his hat pulling it lower over his eyes.  
  
"Yes. Upstairs." Aisha had answered. She waved vaguely toward the stairs.  
  
He had nodded then left.  
  
When he came back several minutes later with what a gun in his hand Aisha jumped into action. She had sprinted to the storage room and quickly changed into her normal clothes and then rushed upstairs, ignoring the confused looks of her customers.  
  
Her suspicions had been right.  
  
So now Aisha was here with these people on the run.  
  
Oh well, easy come easy go.  
  
"So what do we do now?" Aisha asked with a cheerful smile.  
  
"We? What we?" Gene asked with a frown.  
  
"We. As in all of us."  
  
"You are not coming with us."  
  
"Why not!?" Aisha shrieked in indignation. She had just saved this guys life and this was how he repayed her!  
  
"Look, we're looking for someone. A big bounty head. I don't need you to get in our way," Gene said.  
  
"Hey Gene, she fought really well," Jim cut in. "She could be useful to use."  
  
"Now you're siding with her!?" Gene turned on Jim with a shout. "Gene," Melfina interupted softly. "Aisha did save us."  
  
Gene paused then turned away and swore.  
  
"Do whatever you want."  
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
"I know this area like I know the back of my hand. The nearest town is Rickorey, only a few miles away, to the east."  
  
"And just why should we trust you?" Gene asked with a smirk.  
  
Aisha fumed and retorted, "Because I've lived around for a long time you ass!"  
"Fine. To Rickorey it is... lead the way!" Gene said.  
  
After galloping in silence for a few minutes Melfina lay her head against Gene's back and stared off in the distance. The dusty wasteland seemed to spread on forever with rusty colored mountains in the distance. A few knarled mesquite trees were growing here and there, but other than that there was no vegetation.  
  
The horizion rippled with the heat and Melfina felt her eyelids begining to droop. It was horribly hot and her thick dress made it even worse. Somewhere beside her she could hear Aisha and Gene bickering over the direction in which they were traveling, but they sounded so far away.  
  
The last thing Melfina heard was Aisha yelling curses at Gene before she slipped into darkness.  
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
Jim idely poked the fire with a stick.  
  
Gene and Aisha had argued and argued over which way to go and finally Gene had given up and simply gone his own way. Of course, it was the wrong way. They were now very far west, farther than Jim had been, and had no clue where the hell they were.  
  
It wouldn't be terribly hard to find a town once day light came, but the small party was forced to make up a camp for the night. Even if it was cooler to travel by night it would be much harder to make out where they were going.  
  
And so they were stuck here, in a small patch of desert surrounded by thorny brush on one side. Jim stroking the fire, Aisha off a few feet from camp looking up at the sky and Gene sulking angrily a few feet away from the fire.  
  
Melfina had fallen into a deep sleep sometime while they were riding and hadn't woken up. She slept peacfully next to Jim, lying on Gene's beat up trench coat.  
  
Aisha looked up at the stars in the sky and smiled. Looking at the sky reminded her of her home, her family.  
  
Years ago Aisha's mother had been traveling with a group of settlers when a troupe of indians had attacked. As was normal they raided the covered wagons and were going to kill the people when a young brave in particular felt pity for Aisha'a mother and took her in. It was a very unusual act, an indian to take in a white woman, but he took her back to his home and tought her the ways of his people. Despite the disapproval of the others in the tribe the two fell and love and eventually had Aisha.  
  
But, when Aisha was around six or seven, some soldiers raided their village and killed everyone. But the soldiers were surprised by Aisha's fair hair and pale aqua eyes, they allowed her to live and she was sent to an orphan's home in the thriving city of Chicago.  
  
She was soon adopted but contsantly made fun of because of her darker skin. She tried her hardest to prove she was better than others but it was in vain. She grew up ridiculed and labeled an outsider.  
  
At sixteen she set out on her own, hoping to make something of herself. Aisha discovered the world of bounty hunting and at last found her calling. Using all the tricks she had learned growning up, first with the indians and then in the rough city of Chicago, Aisha began to travel to the west.  
  
She wasn't comfortable or rich but she way happy. She was home in the open wild west.  
  
"Aisha?"  
  
Aisha smiled. She didn't even have to turn to know who it was.  
  
"Yea Jim?" She reponded, never taking her eyes off the sky.  
  
Jim walked up beside her and glanced up at the sky before peering at her, his face curious. "What are you looking at?" he asked.  
  
"Isn't it obvious, kid?" She teased. "I'm looking at the sky."  
  
Jim fumed. "I'm not a kid!"  
  
Aisha laughed. "It makes you seem even more like a kid when you get all huffy."  
  
Jim growled and started to stalk back toward the fire.  
  
"Hey come on. I was only teasing. Sit and look at the sky with me. I'll tell you all the stories my father used to tell me about the constellations in the sky." Aisha coaxed.  
  
"Yea. Fine, whatever." Jim muttered quietly, and he slowly went to sit next to Aisha.  
  
"Okay," Aisha began as she pointed to a thick group of stars in the sky. "That one there is called..."  
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
Gene frowned as he watched Aisha and Jim sitting next to each other, looking at the sky.  
  
It had been his own fault that they were lost, though he would die before he ever admitted it. Now they were behind an entire day on travel. Gene fumed silently, angry at himself for being wrong and angry at Aisha for being right.  
  
On impulse Gene got up and went over to sit next to Melfina, where she still lay sleeping. He looked down onto her soft face, studying her. She wasn't what he was used to looking at. He was used to beautiful women with full painted lips and curvy bodies. But Melfina was just like... a child. A pretty, innocent little girl.  
  
Gene felt a sudden pang of guilt. He hadn't really done a single thing to help Melfina with her past. He had been so dead set on getting the new bounty to get some money in his pocket that he'd really forgotten all about it.  
  
He reached toward her face and gently brushed a few strans of her hair back from her face.  
  
Melfina's eyes shot open and she grabbed Gene's hand with such force he jumped. She sat straight up, rigid as a board and looked him in the eye and began to talk very loudly and quickly.  
  
"It's East. Go East. Past the Brooke and past the Plain Rock."  
  
Gene stared at her, his blue eyes wide. What on earth was she talking about. She began speaking more frantically now.  
  
"Go East and you will find it! Let this maiden lead you there!"  
  
And just as suddenly as she began shouting, Melfina stopped. She swayed slightly where she sat and the slumped forward against Gene.  
  
"Melfina? Melfina!" Gene shouted as he shook her.  
  
She stirred slowly, opening one brown eye to look at Gene in confusion.  
  
"What Gene? Do we need to get going?" Melfina's soft voice asked.  
  
"What did you mean by what you were just saying?" Gene asked, his hands gripping her arms tightly.  
  
"What do you mean what I was just saying? I don't understand." Melfina said hoarsely, her throat was dry from lack of water. Gene was scaring her, first shaking her awake and now asking her questions she had no clue how to answer.  
  
"But you-," Gene started then stopped. Melfina obviously had no memory of the message she had just given him.  
  
Jim and Aisha were running over to see what the shouting was about.  
  
"What is it Gene?" Jim asked, looking concerned.  
  
Gene looked into Melfina's wide eyes and answered in defeat.  
  
"I don't know Jim."  
  
End of Chapter four.  
  
Again I am so sorry this has taken so long to come out. Please forgive me!! I am so very touched by all the kind words of encouragement I have received from all of you! You guys have no idea how much your reviews encourage me.  
  
I will try to update soon. 


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